School House meets Royal Opera House
Housemaster of School House, Major Adam Vintner, wanted to thank his prefects within School House by arranging a trip to the Royal Opera House to watch the matinee of Romeo and Juliet performed by The Royal Ballet Company. This would give the students a classic cultural experience and respite from revision and exams.
Helen Crawford, who is a First Soloist within the company and also the sister-in-law of Major Vintner, kindly showed the boys around backstage prior to the performance. Her parting words to them before the ballet commenced was “it is not the Apprentice”, which is a reference to the modern usage of Sergei Prokofiev’s Montagues and Capulets, also known as Dance of the Knights. Unbeknown to the boys, Helen had also organised for them to be side of stage at the ‘curtain call’.
This was a truly memorable experience for all the prefects: Dhiren Gidoomal (Head of House), Henry Bezant and Charlie Welton (Deputy Heads of House) and Angus Clews (Vice Captain of School).